Champions League: Chelsea vs Liverpool and the best all-English European ties this century

The Champions League quarter-final draw has been made and it has produced another showdown between two Premier League sides.

Tottenham were drawn against Manchester City, while Liverpool and Manchester United were handed ties with FC Porto and Barcelona respectively and could now meet in the semi-finals.

Tottenham take on Man City in the Champions League

Over the years, all-English encounters have served up some of the best matches in the competition from John Terry’s penalty miss in the final to Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost goal’ at Anfield, there has been no shortage of drama.

'REPREHENSIBLE'

Once upon a time, Arsenal were Chelsea‘s chief tormentors, their bogey side, the Blues never seemed to be able to beat the Gunners.

In the first leg, a mistake from Jens Lehmann allowed Eidur Gudjohnsen to open the scoring, but Robert Pires responded for the visitors.

It was a 17th straight meeting between the two without a win for Chelsea.

Bridge celebrates the winner against Arsenal

The return match was all square until, Jose Antonio Reyes netted on the stroke of half-time. Frank Lampard hit back for Chelsea and then the winner, surprisingly, came from Wayne Bridge, who broke forward and after a perfect one-two with Gudjohnsen, tucked in to send Chelsea through.

The familiar foes locked horns in Europe once again and it was Chelsea who took control of early proceedings, Joe Cole scoring at Stamford Bridge in a narrow 1-0 win, but Daniel Agger cancelled out Chelsea’s first-leg lead in a exciting match that lacked genuine quality, despite the talent on show.

In the end, the match would be decided by penalties. Lampard was the only Chelsea player to score from 12 yards, leaving Dirk Kuyt to put Liverpool into another final.

John Arne Riise’s stoppage-time own goal dramatically swung this instalment of Champions League encounters in Chelsea’s favour ahead of the return meeting in London.

In a match of high drama and higher stakes, the two sides gave everything in the pouring rain in a bid to reach the final in Moscow.

Drogba bullied the Liverpool defence and scored twice

Drogba was unplayable that night, netting twice, while Lampard was also on target from the spot. Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel struck for Liverpool, but the Blues would avenge their loss from a year earlier.

In a case of so near yet so far, Chelsea were denied their first Champions League title in the cruellest of circumstances.

The irrepressible Cristiano Ronaldo headed United in front on 26 minutes, while Chelsea’s equaliser was fortuitous to say the least.

A Michael Essien effort was speculative and took two deflections en route to goal, before falling to Lampard to tap in.

Terry misses his penalty

The latter along with Drogba would both strike the woodwork before the dreaded shootout.

Ronaldo missed following a staggered run-up and it was left to Terry to win it, but the Chelsea captain slipped at the crucial moment, striking the post. Nicolas Anelka also failed to convert and United claimed a third European trophy.

Guus Hiddink’s team led 3-1 after the first-leg, as Chelsea renewed their European rivalry with the Reds for a fifth successive season.

Set-pieces from Fabio Aurelio and Alonso put Liverpool two ahead and in control, but Drogba pulled one back, before a pile driver of a free-kick from Alex made it 2-2 on the night. The match was eventually settled thanks to a Lampard brace, despite Liverpool’s late rally.

A John O’Shea strike had given United the upper hand heading into the second-leg and they virtually guaranteed their place in the final inside 11 minutes. First, Ji-SungPark scored from a Ronaldo cut-back, before the Portugal superstar thundered in a 40-yard free-kick. His second of the night finished off a flowing counter-attack involving Park and Wayne Rooney, but Darren Fletcher’s dismissal soured a memorable night.

Over the two legs, Chelsea were poor. Outfought and out-hustled, United were simply the better side and deserved to beat the Blues home and away.

Rooney had scored the only goal in the first match and in the second, Chicharito and Park netted, while the decision to axe Drogba for Torres was costly as the Spaniard made no impact, while the Ivorian scored when he was introduced.

Pep Guardiola’s side were powering towards the Premier League title and such was their form, it seemed they were destined to sweep aside Liverpool in their quest for European success.

This proved not to be the case. Anfield turned in one of its memorable Champions League atmospheres as City were on the end of a 3-0 thumping. The return leg started well for City who led in the second minute through Gabriel Jesus. In-form duo Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino struck to send the Reds into a first semi-final in 10 years.

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